Spring member for tamper proof vial



Jan. 8, 1963 A. NICHOLS 3,072,276

SPRING MEMBER FOR TAMPER PROOF VIAL Filed April 21, 1960 /0 F/G/ A F76.2

/6 4 M 4 5 P /6 U2 22 22 28 5 I 70/8 30 3'0 25 $10,422? 36 A 24 A W -728fi| 26 I lllllll 4422 428 26 i FIG 3 FIG 4 3 8 50 34]; Z; 22 *1 I82228 22 42 7322 34 24 I il I 36 T 38-1 76 IN VEN ANTHONY NICHO ATTORNEYSUnite This invention relates to a closure for self-locking tamper prooftype containers and more particularly to a spring member for theclosure.

In accordance with the present invention the cap closure for a tamperproof container is provided with a spring member which causes lockingelements on the cap to engage retaining slots on the neck of the tubularcontainer in such manner that the cap cannot be removed by mererotation. Before the cap can be rotated and removed it is necessary topush the cap down against the tension of the spring member in order todisengage the locking members. After the locking members are dis-engagedthe cap may be freely rotated and removed from the mouth of thecontainer.

The spring member of the present invention includes a disc member ofresilient plastic material having an upright post or lug adapted to bearagainst the top of the cap of the closure. When the cap is screwed downover the mouth of the container the disc member contacts the rim of thecontainer and is thereby bowed about the post to provide spring actionfor locking the cap in place over the mouth of the container.

One great advantage of the spring member of the present invention isthat it may be economically made by molding it in the form of anintegral piece with inexpensive resilient plastic materials and bysimply changing the length of the post the spring action may be changedto provide the desired spring bias in the cap of the closure. Theresilient spring member is readily assembled in the cap by merelysnapping it past the locking elements in the skirt of the cap whichthereafter permanently retain the spring member in operative position inthe closure without the need for special retaining means.

These and other advantages of the structure of the present invention maybe readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an elevation partly in section of the spring member, closureand container.

FIG. 2 illustrates the closure of FIG. 1 positioned over the mouth ofthe container.

FIG. 3 illustrates the closure of FIG. 1 in position screwed down overthe mouth of the container with the spring member bowed ready to causethe locking elements of the cap to engage the retaining slots of thetube.

FIG. 4 illustrates the closure of FIG. 1 in locked position over themouth of the container.

FIG. 5 is an elevation partly in section of the closure of FIG. 1 havinga modified form of the spring member positioned therein.

FIG. 6 illustrates the way in which the spring member is assembled inthe closure of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1 closure 10 has a top wall in the form of a disc 12having an open ended cylindrical skirt 14. Spring member 16 comprises adisc member 18 in the form of a fiat resilient plastic piece which maybe of any desired shape such as oval, rectangular and the like in orderto fit the cup for which it is intended. In the preferred form ofstructure shown the disc member is circular and its diameter is suchthat it may be conveniently fitted into the open ended skirt preferablywith slight clearance between the peripheral edge of the disc member andinterior wall of the skirt. The disc member has an upright post 20 whichis adapted to contact the top wall of the cap. Spring member 16 is amolded Parr-tit angers Patented Jan. 8, i963 resilient plastic piecemade with resilient plastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylenenylon, cellulose esters, vinyls, etc.

Because of the resilient nature of the disc member it may be readilysupported in the cap of the closure by merely providing a restriction inthe skirt below the top wall of the cap so that the cross sectional areaof the opening of the skirt will have a dimension which is less than themaximum dimension of the cross sectional area of the disc member. In thepreferred form of structure shown the interior wall of skirt 14 isprovided with a plurality of protuberances in the form of locking lugs22 which are spaced equidistant from each other ninety de-- grees apartaround the interior wall of the skirt of the closure. As best shown inthe drawings four locking lugs are employed and the distance betweeninterior opposite faces of the locking lugs is less than the diameter ofdisc member 18.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, spring member 16 is readily assembled in thecap by merely snapping the disc past the locking lugs. The disc member18, with the post 2d thereon held in upright position relative to thetop of closure Jill, is placed against the bottom surfaces of the lugs22 and then the disc is bent upwardly next to the inner end of one ofthe lugs 22. Bending is continued until the rim of the disc member 18clears the inner end of lug 22 to snap into the space above the topsurface of the lug as shown in PEG. 6. The entire rim of the disc memberis snapped past the lugs 22 in this manner and thereafter spring member16 is permanently supported above the lugs 22 as shown in FIG. 1.

The closure it} is adapted to cooperate with the neck 24 of a containerdesignated as 26 in the drawings. The neck of the container has a seriesof annular slots or channels 2-8 which are open as at 30 along the rim32 of the neck of the container. The open ends are positionedequidistant around the rim to receive the lugs 22. The closed ends 34 ofslots 2%; have a greater axial height than the height of the annularportion 28 to provide a notch with retaining edges 36 for the lugs 22.

in fitting the closure ill to the neck 24 of the container 26, lugs 22are matched with the open ends 3% of the annular slots 28. In thepreferred structure shown post 25) of spring member 16 is spacedslightly away from the top 12 of the closure. With this arrangement therim 32 of the neck of the container will lift the spring member oil lugs22 causing the top of the post it} to contact the top of the closure sothat lugs 22 will freely enter the open ends 3%) a short distance beforespring tension is applied. The closure is then pressed down axially toposition lugs 22 below shoulders 38 so that the lugs can enter annularslots 23 when the closure is rotated.

As shown in FIG. 3 when lugs 22 are in slots 28 the rim 32 of the neckof the container causes disc member 18 to bend and the resiliency of thedisc imparts a spring bias urging the closure upwardly away from themouth of the container. After the closure has been rotated and lugs 22have reached the closed ends 34 of annular slots 28, pressure on theclosure is released and then spring member 1a moves the closure upwardlyuntil lugs 22 contact the top shoulder to lock the closure in place overthe mouth of the container. As shown in the drawings, the top wall ofthe closure member is made strong enough to withstand the force of thepost when the disc member is bent without being permanently distorted orbroken. In locked position rotation of the cap is limited by theretaining edges 36 which engage the lugs 22 and prevent the containerfrom being opened. The container can only be opened by pressing theclosure down axially against the tension of spring member 16 until lugs22 are in position to again enter slot 28. Thereafter the cap enter theannular slots 2b.

aoraare may be rotated and removed from the mouth of the container.

It will be seen that the tension of spring member 16 can be readilychanged by changing the height of the post '29 which determines thepoint when disc member 18 will begin to bend upwardly as the closure isfitted over the neck of the container. If the top of the post is spacedaway from the top of the closure initially, then the disc member 18 willonly be slightly bowed When lugs 22 On the other hand, if the top of thepost is in contact with the top of the closure initially, then bowing ofthe disc will be more pronounced when the lugs enter the annular slotsand the spring bias will be proportionately increased. With the lattertype of structure a spring member of highly resilient material such aspolypropylene can be made to provide a fluid tight seal on the rim or"the container. However, if a fluid tight seal is not necessary the postit? is initially spaced away from the top of the closure so that thecontainer can be readily opened or closed without too much efiort on thepart of the user.

In some cases it may be desirable to lock the cap on the container sothat it will be virtually impossible to remove the cap without breakingthe container. This may be done by making post it) long enough to bearagainst the top of the closure and how the disc member so that it istensioned against locking lugs 22 before the closure is placed over themouth of the container. In such case considerable force is required tolock the closure in place over the mouth of the container and if thepost is made long enough even an adult will be unable to remove the capwithout breaking the container.

in the container shown in the drawings, an inclined shoulder 42 isprovided at the open ends of the annular slots which operates as a camto guide lugs 22 toward the annular slots 28 when the closure is firstpressed down over the mouth of the container. This permits the use ofrelatively wide entrance openings for slots 28 along the rim of the neckof the container and the cam surfaces insure that the lugs on theclosure will be properly aligned and cammed into the annular slots 28.

FIG. shows a modified form of the spring member positioned in theclosure it The interior Portion 4-4 of the disc member is slightlydished giving it a slightly concavo-convex cross section and an annulardepending flange 46 is provided and made integral with the bottom of thedisc member. The thickness of the dished portion 44 is substantiallyless than that of the peripheral border 48 of the disc member which isadapted to rest on top of the locking lugs 22. The outside diameter ofthe annular flange 4-6 is selected to give an interference friction fitwith the inside wall of the mouth of the container 26. When the closureis fitted over the neck of the container the interior portion 414 of themodified spring member is bowed by post 2% to give spring action, andthe annular flange 4e frictionally engages the inside Wall of the mouthof the container to provide a liquid seal. Since the central portion ofthe disc member is dished and relatively thin it can readily stretch toa more pronounced curvature when subjected to the pressure of post Zilwithout any substantial bowing of the peripheral border portion 48. As aresult there is little if any lateral force exterted by the annularflange 46 which remains substantially rigid and undistorted throughoutthe manipulative steps required to close the container. When thecontainer is opened the locking lugs 22. retain the spring member withinthe closure it? so that the spring member is readily pulled out of themouth of the container.

The modified spring member when used in accordance with the inventiongives a highly efficient liquid tight seal but it will be understoodthat the annular flange is not essential to the basic function of thespring members and the modified form of spring member without theannular flange can be satisfactorily used for providing the requiredspring action in the closure. Also if desired the annular flange can beincorporated in the structure of the spring member of FIG. 1 withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

in the container shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 bowing of the disc portion ofthe spring member is sufiiciently limited so as to preclude contactbetween the'peripheral portion or" the disc and the top of the closure.The peripheral portion of the disc may however make contact with the topof the closure as long as the lugs 22 at that time or thereafter uponapplication of additional pressure on the closure can be made to enterthe annular slots on the of the container. Of course when pressure onthe closure is released the bias of the spring member will move theclosure upwardly to lock it in place over the mouth of the container andwhen this occurs the edge of the sprin member will be out of contactwith the top of the closure until the time when the closure is againdepr ssed to open the container.

The self locking tamper proof container illustrated in the drawings is apreferred form of structure but it will be obvious to those skilled inthe art that the spring member of the present invention need not be inthe form of a cylindrical disc but may be of any desired shape to fitthe particular tamper proof closure for which it is intended.

it will be further understood that it is intended to cover all changesand modifications of the preferred embodiment of the invention hereinchosen for the purpose of illustration which do not constitutedepartures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A self locking tamper proof vial which comprises the combination of aclosure member a container with a cylindrical open neck portion and aspring member, said closure member having a top wall and a cylindricalskirt portion, the cyiindrical skirt portion having a plurality ofprojections spaced around the interior surface thereof and positioned inspaced relationship to the top portion of the closure member, saidspring member having a resilient disc portion with a post positioned onone side thereof, said spring member being positioned in the closure inthe space between the projections and top portion of the closure memberand disc member, said spring member being supported by the plurality ofprojections in the space between said projections and the interiorsurface of the top portion of said closure member said container havinga number of grooves around the cylindrical open neck portion each withone closed upright end terminated below the rim of said neck and anopposite end open at the rim of said neck, said grooves being spacedaround the neck at intervals similar to the spacing of the projectionsof said closure member so then when closure is properly positioned overthe rim of the neck and pressed to the neck the projections enter theopen end of said grooves and the post of said spring member is pushedupwardly against the top wall of said closure by the force of the rim ofthe neck portion against the disc portion of the spring member, said topwall being strong enough to withstand the force in the post Withoutbeing permanently distorted or broken, whereby if the closure is pressedto the neck of the container and then rotated so the projections enterthe closed upright end the force of the disc portion of the springmember on the rim of the neck will keep the projections in the closedupright ends of the slots so the open neck of the container is sealed toform a tamper proof vial.

2. The closure in accordance with claim 1 in which the top of theupright post portion of the spring member is spaced away from theinterior surface of the top portion of the closure member.

3. The closure in accordance with claim 1 in which the top of theupright post portion of the spring member is in contact with theinterior surface of the top portion of the closure member.

4. The closure in accordance will claim 1 in which the spring member ismade from polypropylene.

5. The combination of a closure member, a spring member and a containerhaving an open neck portion, said closure member having a top wall, acylindrical skirt portion, and a plurality of projections spaced atequal intervals around the interior side wall of the skirt portion, saidspring member having a disc portion and a centrally located post portionintegral with one side of the disc portion, the diameter of the discportion being slightly smaller than the interior diameter of thecylindrical skirt portion of said closure member, said spring memberbeing made of resilient material and being supported within thecylindrical skirt portion by the plurality of projections thereof in aposition such that the integral post portion is upright relative to saidclosure member, said open neck of the container having a plurality ofannular slots, each having one closed upright end terminating be low therim of said open neck and an opposite upright end open at the rim ofsaid open neck, the open ends of the annular slots being spaced atintervals similar to the spacing of the projections of said closuremember whereby the projections enter the open ends of said annularslots, travel through said annular slots and enter the closed uprightends of said annular slots and whereby the projections are urged tointerlock with the sides of the closed upright ends by the spring biasof said spring member the post of said spring member being in contactwith the top wall of said closure and the resilient disc portion beingbent upward axially by the rim of said open neck when said closuremember is pressed down axially on said open neck of the container androtated relative to said container and released said top wall of theclosure being strong enough to withstand the force of the post withoutbeing permanently distorted or broken.

6. A self locking tamper proof vial comprising a cap having a top walland an open ended skirt portion projecting down from said top wall, aspring member comprising a substantially flat resilient plastic discmember having an upright post on one side thereof adapted to bearagainst the top wall of the cap and hold the resilient plastic discmember in spaced relationship thereto, said open ended skirt havingprojections in the opening thereof to provide an opening of crosssectional area having a dimension which is less than the maximumdimension of the cross sectional area of said resilient disc member,said projections being positioned in the skirt below said resilient discmember whereby the disc member will be held in operative position in thecap and a container with an open neck portion having a number of groovesaround its exterior surface, each with a closed upright end terminatedbelow the rim of said neck and an opposite end open at the rim of saidneck, said grooves being spaced around the neck at intervals similar tothe spacing of the projections of said cap so then when cap is properlypositioned over the rim of the neck and pressed to the neck theprojections enter the open end of said grooves and the post of saidspring member is pushed upwardly against the top wall of said closure bythe rim of the neck portion pushing against the disc portion of thespring memher, said top wall being strong enough to withstand the forcein the post without being permanently distorted or broken, whereby ifthe cap is pressed to the neck of the container and then rotated so theprojections enter the closed upright ends the force of the disc portionof the spring member on the rim of the neck will keep the projections inthe closed upright ends of the slots so the open neck of the containeris sealed to form a tamper proof vial.

7. A structure as specified in claim 5 in which the projections in theopen ended skirt are formed by means of protuberances positioned on theinterior wall of the skirt.

8. A structure as specified in claim 6 wherein said projections are inthe form of a plurality of lugs spaced equidistantly apart around theinterior wall of the skirt.

9. A self locking tamper proof vial comprising a cap having a top walland an open ended skirt portion projecting down from said top wall, aspring member therein comprising a resilient plastic disc member aninterior portion of which is concavo-convex in cross section, theconcave side thereof having a centrally located post and the convex sidethereof having an annular flange projecting down below the surface ofthe disc which is adapted to make an interference friction fit with theinside wall of the container for which the cap is intended, said postbeing adapted to bear against the top wall of the cap and hold theresilient plastic disc member in spaced relationship thereto, said openended skirt having projections in the opening thereof to provide anopening of cross sectional area having a dimension which is less thanthe maximum dimension of the corresponding area of said resilient discmember, said projections being positioned in the skirt below saidresilient disc member whereby the disc member will be held in operativeposition in the cap and a container with an open neck portion having anumber of grooves around its exterior surface, each with a closedupright end terminated below the rim of said neck and an opposite endopen at the rim of said neck, said grooves being spaced around the neckat intervals similar to the spacing of the projections of said cap sothen when cap is properly positioned over the rim of the neck andpressed to the neck the projections enter the open end of said groovesand the post of said spring member is pushed upwardly against the topwall of said closure by the rim of the neck portion pushing against thedisc portion of the spring member, said top wall being strong enough towithstand the force in the post without being permanently distorted orbroken whereby it the cap is pressed .to the neck of the container andthen rotated so the projections enter the closed upright ends the forceof the disc portion of the spring member on the rim of the neck willkeep the projections in the closed upright end of the slots so the openneck of the container is sealed to form a tamper proof vial.

10. A structure as specified in claim 9 in which the projections in theopen ended skirt are in the form of a plurality of lugs spacedequidistantly apart around the interior wall of the skirt.

11. A structure as specified in claim 9 in which the thickness of theconcavo-convex portion of the disc member is substantially less than thetlickness of the remaining portion of the disc member.

References itezl in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,466,314 Shelmon Aug. 28, 1923 2,716,504 Martin Aug. 30, 1955 2,916,174Orr Dec. 8, 1959 2,989,204 Marx et a1 June 20, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS529,319 France Nov. 26, 1921 112,493 Switzerland Nov. 2, 1925 280,626Italy Dec. 15, 1930 495,545 Italy June 18, 1954 1,101,388 France Apr.20, 1955 539,920 Belgium July 19, 1955 547,660 Belgium May 31, 1956

1. A SELF LOCKING TAMPER PROOF VIAL WHICH COMPRISES THE COMBINATION OF ACLOSURE MEMBER A CONTAINER WITH A CYLINDRICAL OPEN NECK PORTION AND ASPRING MEMBER, SAID CLOSURE MEMBER HAVING A TOP WALL AND A CYLINDRICALSKIRT PORTION, THE CYLINDRICAL SKIRT PORTION HAVING A PLURALITY OFPROJECTIONS SPACED AROUND THE INTERIOR SURFACE THEREOF AND POSITIONED INSPACED RELATIONSHIP TO THE TOP PORTION OF THE CLOSURE MEMBER, SAIDSPRING MEMBER HAVING A RESILIENT DISC PORTION WITH A POST POSITIONED ONONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID SPRING MEMBER BEING POSITIONED IN THE CLOSURE INTHE SPACE BETWEEN THE PROJECTIONS AND TOP PORTION OF THE CLOSURE MEMBERAND DISC MEMBER, SAID SPRING MEMBER BEING SUPPORTED BY THE PLURALITY OFPROJECTIONS IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID PROJECTIONS AND THE INTERIORSURFACE OF THE TOP PORTION OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER SAID CONTAINER HAVINGA NUMBER OF GROOVES AROUND THE CYLINDRICAL OPEN NECK PORTION EACH WITHONE CLOSED UPRIGHT END TERMINATED BELOW THE RIM OF SAID NECK AND ANOPPOSITE END OPEN AT THE RIM OF SAID NECK, SAID GROOVES BEING SPACEDAROUND THE NECK AT INTERVALS SIMILAR TO THE SPACING OF THE PROJECTIONSOF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER SO THEN WHEN CLOSURE IS PROPERLY POSITIONED OVERTHE RIM OF THE NECK AND PRESSED TO THE NECK THE PROJECTIONS ENTER THEOPEN END OF SAID GROOVES AND THE POST OF SAID SPRING MEMBER IS PUSHEDUPWARDLY AGAINST THE TOP WALL OF SAID CLOSURE BY THE FORCE OF THE RIM OFTHE NECK PORTION AGAINST THE DISC PORTION OF THE SPRING MEMBER, SAID TOPWALL BEING STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE FORCE IN THE POST WITHOUTBEING PERMANENTLY DISTORTED OR BROKEN, WHEREBY IF THE CLOSURE IS PRESSEDTO THE NECK OF THE CONTAINER AND THEN ROTATED SO THE PROJECTIONS ENTERTHE CLOSED UPRIGHT END THE FORCE OF THE DISC PORTION OF THE SPRINGMEMBER ON THE RIM OF THE NECK WILL KEEP THE PROJECTIONS IN THE CLOSEDUPRIGHT ENDS OF THE SLOTS SO THE OPEN NECK OF THE CONTAINER IS SEALED TOFORM A TAMPER PROOF VIAL.